When Stories of Old Stir the Heart
by CleverAsEver
Summary: Stories of old may be long, may be short. May be fulfilling, may be simple. But one thing's for certain, they stir the heart. Or, a collection of the assorted short HTTYD fics that I write in my free time unworthy of being posted individually, so I'm tossing 'em here.
1. Burn

**Burn** \- Toothless's thoughts as his tailfin burns away.

* * *

 _Set during the Battle of the Red Death. Toothless's POV._

I feel the searing heat enveloping my tail.

It burns, burns, chewing away at the straps and my scales as I bank left and right, up and down, frantically out of the path of the great Queen. I let out a snarl, desperately flicking my tail left once more, ignoring the increasing resistance on my left side. I don't dare look back.

The one night I did, I lost my left tailfin.

But that isn't now. _Now_ is darting side to side, through the blinding clouds, far too close to hard, rocky ground I don't know how close I am to. I hear the Queen's massive wings flapping right behind me, hear the wind rushing past as I bank steeply downwards, diving faster than ever.

I know that at this rate, I'll reach ground fast – far too fast. I know that at this rate, if I hit the ground at this speed, he'd be pulverized – my human, so exposed on my back. I can't protect him from that.

And the thought of that scares me, more than the risk of losing my own life.

But I know the human perched so precariously on my back, on the cowskin appendage strapped just behind my lower neck, has a mind like no other - quick, sharp, and agile to react with the confidence of the mightiest dragons. And while I've only known him for so little time, a mere fraction of my great lifespan, I know he has the heart of a dragon, stubborn and selfless to a degree I cannot fully fathom.

I know he'll protect me. I know he'll keep me safe.

And so, as my human urges me onwards, I fly. Fly faster, harder, than I've ever flown before. Fly in spite of the rushing heat, the flames ripping their way through my human's artificial tailfin contraption. Fly in spite of my tail's increasing tendency to drift and shudder in the rushing air as my left tailfin burns to pieces, threatening to flip out from underneath me and toss me into an uncontrollable flat spin from which I'd never be able to recover.

For I trust him. For I know the boy has given me so much – flight, trust, friendship. It's all I can do to do everything I can to repay the favor.

 _"Stay with me_ _buddy, we're good, just a little bit longer."_

Okay, my friend. For you.

* * *

 **A/N:** I write a lot of short ficlets – vignettes, simple fluff, the like - in my free time that never get published because they're just too short and lack substance. This is one of them. And now I'm publishing them because I'm bored and why not.

So yeah, I'll be dumping short fics in here that are too short for their own post but not entirely rubbish either once every so often. This will be the first of many to come.


	2. Dance the Night Away

**Dance the Night Away -** Astrid can't help but indulge her boyfriend's weird tastes in music.

* * *

 _Modern AU._

"You're seriously a seventies guy?"

Astrid stared at her boyfriend's sizeable collection of assorted vinyls, cassette tapes, and aging equipment she had no idea what to call but 'old'.

Hiccup smirked, folding his arms. "Yep. Crucify me."

Astrid bent down, slowly sorting through the pile. "Led Zeppelin… ACDC… Who are these guys? Why can't you just listen to normal music like the rest of us?" She quipped, shaking her head at the unfamiliar names and cover art.

Hiccup shrugged. "Don't find it interesting. These guys had far more musical talent than everyone on the Top 100 nowadays combined. I guess I'm an oldie through and through."

Astrid chuckled, lightly punching his shoulder. "Like you'd be a good judge of that, Mister I'm-tone-deaf-and-can't-stay-on-pitch-for-the-life-of-me. I'm still not taking you out for karaoke again anytime in the next two centuries." At this, Hiccup let out a hearty laugh, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"And I don't expect you to. Don't worry, I love you too much to torture you further with my cheese grater of a voice." Astrid snickered herself, pulling the auburn-haired boy in for a gentle kiss.

When they finally broke apart, grinning like madmen, Hiccup gestured down at the organized pile beneath them. "Well, what d'ya say we have a little listen? You know, you've got to use these old things every once in a while to keep 'em in working order," he said, eyes alight.

Astrid crossed her arms, frowning exaggeratedly. "I hate old music."

"You never know 'till you've tried it, milady."

Astrid shrugged. Figuring she had nothing to lose by indulging Hiccup's strange quirks, she plopped herself down on his couch – which was quite comfy, she noted – watching with mild interest as Hiccup set up the bulky speakers and assorted machinery, one of which she recognized as a vinyl record player. He rifled through his catalog of music, eventually settling on a blue-cover vinyl with white and red lettering.

"What's that one?"

"Oh, you'll like this one. One of the classics of the rock era." Shaking her head and laughing to herself gently, she continued to watch with curiosity as he inserted the record into the player, gently lowering the needle onto the black disc.

A simple drum rhythm started to play, leading into an electric guitar riff. The vocalist, while rougher around the edges than what she was used to, had a gritty, real quality to him that Astrid had to admit was endearing in its own way. The melody, while fairly simple, was catchy; before long, the blond-haired girl found herself tapping along with her feet, bobbing her head in time with the beat.

Hiccup, seeing this, grinned. "Well? Not bad for a dork's music taste, right?" In a flash, he was at her side, hand extended. "A dance, milady?"

Astrid snorted, lightly batting away his extended arm. "So you're a kind gentleman now?" she joked. Unsatisfied with this response, Hiccup grabbed her arm, dragging her off the couch, ignoring her weak protests about leaving the comfiness of its soft cushioning.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance," she joked, slowly beginning to shuffle to and fro in time with the music, Hiccup's hand in hers.

"I said my dancing ability was limited to shuffling my feet and grabbing your butt. And that's exactly what I plan on doing." Hiccup grinned, taking both of Astrid's hands in his as he began to guide her around the room, spinning her under his arms. Eventually, Astrid began to smile, her small smirk turning into a fully-fledged grin as they sashayed across the wooden floor.

"So you do like it."

"What?"

"The music."

"I admit nothing, you dork."

Hiccup laughed softly, pulling her closer to him. He pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he led her around the room. "But I'm your dork."

* * *

 **A/N:** Some fluff with a modern-day dorky Hiccup and the Astrid we all know and love. Points for the first person to guess the song and artist.


	3. Talking in Her Sleep

**Talking in Her Sleep** \- Astrid needs to think, and a hibernating Stormfly won't judge.

* * *

I'm just glad you're here, Stormfly.

Even if we can't understand each other sometimes. Well, all the time, I guess, considering you can't speak Norse and I can't speak, well, whatever dragons speak - and also, you're hibernating and I'm not, obviously. But it's just nice to have someone…here, you know.

It's just…I've got way too much on my mind, I guess. About everything. Getting to know you - not just you, dragons in general - for who you really are, dealing with the winter and everything that comes with it - it's been a lot and I haven't had the time to stop and think about any of it.

Gods, where do I start?

Hiccup. I… I'm not even sure _where_ to start with him. It's just, well, when it comes to him, I don't know anymore. It's - he's a confusing whirlwind of emotions that I don't know how to make sense of. He… I don't know, girl.

You know, when we were young, we... I don't know, were we friends? I mean, we never called ourselves that, but we - he never really minded either.

He was…he wasn't like the rest of them, girl. He wasn't focused only on brute force and strength like the other kids - he was actually smart and quick-witted and funny to boot. And he actually cared. I still remember running around the forest with him, playing tag I think - just the two of us.

But I made the decision that I had to 'grow up'. Meet and exceed the expectations everyone set for me. Fight to climb the social ladder for my family. Become a Viking. And anything that didn't fit my definition of a Viking was unworthy of my respect. And that, well, that included Hiccup.

I ignored him, thought of him as the runt everyone else saw him as, but I don't think I ever really managed that. I think I managed to convinced myself.

But I don't think I-I'll ever forget seeing him crying to himself in the empty smithy on his tenth birthday.

I'm not even sure if he remembers that.

He… he's something else, girl. Different. And you know me, girl - I'm not usually a fan of different. And I'm not even sure what _different's_ supposed to mean. Confident. Cared for. Like I can let my guard down for once in my life since I decided I just _had to be a Viking._

Storm, I'm a warrior. I've tried to fight. But I don't want to hurt him anymore.

I want to make it up to him - at least, try - but I don't know how. I mean, I guess we're friends again now, but I don't know if he forgives me. I don't know if I would. Hel, I'm not even sure what he thinks - feels - of me anymore.

Does he even remember it? The kiss, after he woke up? I don't even know if he does; he hasn't said a thing about it. It's almost like it never happened.

Storm, if only you could hear me. You'd be laughing at me, at how I don't know how to handle any of this.

When are you going to wake up?

I miss flying with you, girl. I miss flying. You know, I never realized how limiting it is to be ground-bound until I flew. I guess that applies to lots of things in my life at the moment.

Gods, Stormfly, I don't know what to do and I don't know if that's okay. But at least you're here for me, girl, and that's all I can ask for, I guess.

I'll go try and get some sleep now. Wake up soon, girl. And sleep well.

* * *

 **A/N:** Remember 'Midnight Whispers'? Yeah, this is its spiritual successor. Well, technically it _is_ its successor in most every way, but I never figured out how to flesh it out properly to make it a full fic so I'm publishing what I have as a sort of little character study of Astrid, set sometime after the Battle of the Red Death (with Stormfly being in hibernation). Enjoy, I guess.


	4. Content

**Content** \- Hiccup is finally alone, but he is content.

* * *

He watched the sky, alone.

They called him leader and adventurer, defender and friend. They honored his name, built statues in his honor and wrote epics of his mythical youth amongst beasts. They built him into a man he never really was.

That man now sat on the cliffs of his new home, so different from the island he had grown up on and yet all too familiar to his weary eyes. Still, motionless – not a blade of grass moved for him. He had moved enough in his long life.

He had contributed all he could, built a great village of great people, kept the Great Secret for all he could to ensure the safety of humanity and of dragonkind. He had friends – some passed in glory to Valhalla, others gone to more natural means. He had loved, loved one, but when she finally went of old age, her blond hair withered to grey, he loved no more.

The demands of life he had finally accomplished.

Gazing upon the great oceans, his thoughts drifted to a distant friend. A friend of his he knew would still be out there, leading his great kind as was his destiny. A friend who was not his kin in family nor species, but whom had helped him find himself.

Yet, as he gazed at the great oceans of the world he had once explored with boundless enthusiasm, he felt at peace with himself, with that which he longed for and that which he yearned to see once more. Calm at the notion of him, so honored and cherished by others, perhaps leaving all earthly things behind alone.

And as he gazed at the setting sun alone, he thought he saw a speck of black – and maybe of white – shining against the sundown sky. And he knew that his friend, while just as distant from him for now as destiny dictated, was content. And then he heard the sounds of the village, of the children playing in the fields and of the men and women calling them to dinner, heard how, with their joy and fortune, they too were content.

And perhaps in the clouds, he caught a glimpse of her, her blond hair shining down on him from the heavens, her radiant smile ever persisting, and perhaps of them too, their smirks and good-natured shoving and everlasting friendship. And he knew that so long as it wasn't yet his time, for the little time left that she and they would have to wait for that time, they would wait. And they would be content.

And therefore, in his solitude, he too was content.

* * *

 **A/N:** A very brief vignette inspired by HTTYD3. Hiccup in old age, basically, with everyone having left him thanks to fate and destiny. I think, eventually, he'd be fine with that and be fine with waiting to see them again.


End file.
